800Gallon Tall Plywood Tank

[marinelife]

I just wanted to post here about my new tank I have been working on.

The inside size of the tank will be 28-28.5" front to back, 96" long, and 75" high with the water level at 70"
The outside size of the tank will be 34" front to back, 100" long, and 78" high. Just enough to fit in the front door and the spot already missing wood in our wood floor. The tank will sit in the same place as my current 375 and on concrete. I will be using fiberglass and exopy on the inside of the tank. The front panel will be 1.5" thick and give you a good view of most of the tank.
The tank is made out of
7 48"x96"x3/4" sheets of A Grade Burch Plywood
7 48"x96"x3/4" sheets of A/C Grade Fir Plywood
All sheets are glued and screwed together to get 1.5" Thick walls

The tank:

The Panel:

Some of the inside:

I still have to install a few supports for the bottom corners, Mount some bracket holders for the Tunze Streams that I will be using, Install a overflow in the end, Coat it, test in, install it.

At this point sealing will be:
Layer 1 Fiberglass with WEST Epoxy
Layer 2 Fiberglass with MAS epoxy
Layer 3 WEST Epoxy
Layer 4 MAS Epoxy
Layer 5 Sweetwater Dark Blue
Layer 6 Sweetwater Dark Blue

There maybe another half layer of Fiberglass between 2 and 3 depending on what I have left.

I have talked to a few People that have done work in major aquariums and have the name and a place to order the silicone for the panel.

Once it is sealed I will water test it in my garage for about a month.

I will be using 2 6100s Streams from the start with hopes to add two or more later. I will also have a closed loop that will pull water from the top and return it at the bottom in all four corners. I will also have a small return pump coming from the sump what will house my CA Reactor, Live Rock, and Macro Algae.

I will be running 2 6500k 400HMs and 2 12000k 400MHs. I am not caring about how far down the light goes as I am hoping to get some low light corals for the bottom.

I hope to have this Completed and installed by the middle on November.

 

[Scooterman]

how do you plan on attaching the plexi to the fiberglass?

 

[marinelife]

With the Same Silicone they use at major Aquariums, it is made by Dow Corning

 

[freetareef]

wow!!! that is hardcore!!! why aren't you just doing the inside with a fiberglass shell then paint it with epoxy? that would be plenty

 

[marinelife]

Just for added security, to make my wife and I feel better!

 

[SeaMonster]

looking good. I have a 300g ply/gls. it was so much fun to build. Cant wait to see your progress.

 

[marinelife]

Seamonster - do you have a thread or website about your build

 

[SeaMonster]

Sure do here you go, there's about a zillion pictures

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37616&highlight=gallon+plywood

and here's the chronicle:

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/reef-chronicles/31112-vargas-300-gallon-wall-build.html

 

[marinelife]

Thanks for the links!

 

[CJG]

This is a really interesing thread. I'll be following it, so keep us updated. I've wanted to do something like this. Are the plywood sides of the tank reinforced with anything running along the back and sides of the tank, like 4x4's or something? Do you have a slot ready for the window to sit in?

 

[marinelife]

The support for the back is on the inside, I also have 45s glued and nailed into the corners. I have not supported the side other than the 45s at the bottom and the bracing that will go around the top. Currently there is no way to add bracing on the outside due to getting it in the house and fitting it in the spot I have for it.

I am just starting to make the window frame and still working on making it work. I am thinking the slot will only go up the window about 25% of its height just due to being able to get it in. I will have to work on something to add after the install to hold that top in place.

 

[marinelife]

Started working on the frame for the panel.
After much thought I went ahead and made it better than I had originally planned. I still have more to do to it but you can get the idea of how it is going to be.

My fiberglass materials arrived today.

 

[Scooterman]

After you seal the plexi to the fiberglass, will you lock it down from behind some how? Like in a window maybe?

 

[marinelife]

At the bottom there will be an area that the panel sits in but at the top I am not sure. Technically I should be able to have temp supports holding it in place and once filled with water the panel should stay in place. The being said I am thinking and designing something to hold it in from the top. I am putting a support from front to back on the top middle and I should be able to add a brace for the panel to it.

 

[Scooterman]

That was my thinking, the water would hold it there but I'd sure like to have a brace to hold it there regardless.

 

[marinelife]

I agree 100% I just have not figure out how to add a brace after the fact since the fiberglass and other epoxy will be on. I will make something that comes from the top so I can nail it done and seal it and know that water will only hit part of it.

 

[Snowboarda42]

Looks great so far! Keep the pictures coming!

 

[SeaMonster]

Did you see my braces? they work pretty good and can be installed after the glass is in

 

[Scooterman]

I agree 100% I just have not figure out how to add a brace after the fact since the fiberglass and other epoxy will be on. I will make something that comes from the top so I can nail it done and seal it and know that water will only hit part of it.

Make an fiber/epoxy 2x4 brace that you can screw/lag bolt on with either high grade stainless or titanium.

 

[marinelife]

Did you see my braces? they work pretty good and can be installed after the glass is in

I have not been able to get the thread read 100%, I saw the temp bracing you made. I will try to read more of it today.